Ambulance VIC Changes Save 39 Extra Lives | Search and Rescue

An overhaul of Ambulance Victoria’s emergency responses has seen paramedics treating more critical patients instead of non-urgent cases, saving more lives.

Victorian paramedics have saved 39 extra lives and were able to respond to 7000 other critical cases within 15 minutes thanks to an overhaul of the emergency response system.

Photo: article supplied

Ambulance Victoria changed its clinical response model in October 2016 to get to more high priority cases instead of non-urgent ones and data from the first three months shows improvement, says Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy.

“Data that’s been released today demonstrates at least 39 lives have been saved because of these changes,” she told reporters on Thursday.

Ms Hennessy said ambulances needed to get to the sickest patients as quickly as possible.

“Ultimately we can’t have a system whereby we’re sending lights and sirens to people who have headaches,” she said.